Steve Jobs on DRM (Digital Rights Management)

February 7, 2007 With the big four record companies making a majority of their profits from completely insecure CDs that can be turned into MP3s and uploaded onto the Internet in less than half an hour, when does it become ridiculous for them insist on locking up their digital sales with restrictive DRM that hinders the rights of the paid user, while doing nothing to hinder piracy? Steve Jobs is the latest to throw his opinion in the ring - and coming from the only success story of the digital music era, his words are sure to turn heads.

"Why would the big four music companies [ever] agree to let Apple and others distribute their music without using DRM systems to protect it? The simplest answer is because DRMs haven't worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy. ... Much of the concern over DRM systems has arisen in European countries. Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free. ... Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."